Joel Glazer sees Man Utd transfer dream fall flat as Erik ten Hag gets the last laugh

Erik ten Hag appears to have emerged victorious from a transfer dispute with Manchester United co-owner Joel Glazer. The embattled United boss is currently basking in the glow of a strong finish to an otherwise forgettable season, which saw the Red Devils end up 8th in the Premier League but secure a Europa League spot by clinching the FA Cup. A final review is reportedly on the cards to determine Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford.

Should his tenure at the club come to an end this summer, Ten Hag may leave with a sense of satisfaction as a key disagreement he allegedly had with Glazer has ended in his favour. The bone of contention was long-serving United forward Anthony Martial.

After nine seasons marred by inconsistency and injuries, the Frenchman has bid farewell to Old Trafford. However, his stint at the club could have been even shorter if not for Glazer’s fondness for the player they signed in 2015 as the then-most expensive teenager in football history.

At the start of the season, United had the option to extend Martial’s contract by a year, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2025. It’s believed that Ten Hag was more than happy to sell the striker, having brought in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta.

Glazer has been a staunch supporter of the 28-year-old, even going as far as intervening to keep Martial at the club, despite the wishes of Jose Mourinho. The ex-Chelsea boss reportedly wanted to offload the Frenchman to fund a move for Ivan Perisic during his reign but was not allowed to do so.

Martial often found himself on the sidelines during Mourinho’s tenure, as the manager brought in high-profile names like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to play in the positions Martial occupies. Yet, Martial managed to outlast all four, as well as Mourinho himself, despite slipping down the hierarchy.

However, his race was finally run at Old Trafford this summer. United decided not to trigger the extension clause in Martial’s contract. The forward, who won the Golden Boy award in 2015, was limited to just 13 appearances in the Premier League this term, netting a solitary goal.

The Frenchman was given a warm farewell by the United fans after the Red Devils beat Newcastle United 3-2 in their final home match of the season. In a statement uploaded on the club’s website, Martial thanked the fans for standing by him.

He said: “After nine incredible years at the club, the time has come for me to turn a new page in my career. Since I arrived in 2015, I have had the immense honour of wearing this shirt and playing in front of you, the best supporters in the world! You have been an unwavering support, through the good times and the difficult.

“Your passion and loyalty have been a constant source of motivation for me. I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you’ve done for me. Your songs, your encouragement and your love for the club are memories that will remain engraved in my heart forever.”